One typical use of the disclosed invention is in steam flooding operations for secondary recovery of additional oil sealed up in the ground around oil wells that produce no more free flowing oil, the hotter the steam vapor, the more oil is recoverable. In long manifold steam distribution systems, very often only hot water reaches the end of some steam lines instead of high quality steam. Thus, if the steam quality were balanced through all branch lines, the efficiency of the entire system would be improved. The below disclosed invention solves that very problem.
In greater detail of the problem, as steam passes through a manifold system, liquid droplets will tend to condense or form, and they will tend to separate from the gaseous steam disproportionately at branch points or intersections and thus the steam quality changes throughout the manifold system.